One of the reasons I truly love horror is that it can be done effectively – sometimes perfectly – on basically no budget. If you have a good idea and some theater-kid friends, you can make something that will have people checking under their beds for years for less than the craft services budget of a typical production.

One of my favorites in the “cheap and effective” category – and one of my favorite movies, period – is Absentia. Mike Flanagan wrote, directed and shot this slow-burn dreadfest in his shitty apartment and the surrounding neighborhood for $70,000, and it’s excellent.

Seven years after her husband, Daniel, disappeared without a trace, a pregnant Tricia (Courtney Bell) is finally ready to move on with her life. Her sister, Callie (Katie Parker), a recovering addict, is staying with her as she begins to pack up the old apartment and completes the paperwork to have Daniel declared dead. Tricia even agrees to go on a real date with Ryan (Dave Levine), the detective in charge of Daniel’s disappearance (and the father of her baby). The two are about to leave for dinner when Daniel appears on Tricia’s doorstep, battered, bruised and very surprised that anyone can see him.

The horror in Absentia comes not just from a very clever monster (“it fixates”), but from the day to day drudgery of living your life around the hole created by a missing loved one. Tricia has been in a holding pattern for years, wondering if Daniel is hurt or dead somewhere or simply grew tired of their life together and walked away. Dead is one thing; there are rules and rituals to help you manage the attendant grief and close out the bills. Missing is a constant state of uncertainty. Are you a fool for remaining hopeful? Are you a traitor for moving on? What do you do if you commit to one or the other… and you’re wrong?

It’s worth noting that the original poster for Absentia features one of the most egregious mismatches of movie and media kit I’ve ever seen. Don’t be fooled; this is not the movie you will be seeing. This is more on point (and features all of those tasty awards, to boot).